Sermon Tone Analysis

Understanding Mercy

Throughout my life there have been many times where I have felt wronged against.

Either is was intentional or I misunderstood what someone’s thought process was.

During those times, anger, frustration, worry, and many other negative thoughts swirled through my mind.

My heart was not content on getting over the occurrence and I would seek that the person would have some misfortune overcome them.

However, that thought process was too great a burden for me and I did not like feeling anger towards others.

After I recognized it was the Holy Spirit nudging me to forgive and then Jesus’ words declaring that I myself may not receive forgiveness if I don’t first learn it myself, I then was able to ask for the ability to be merciful towards those who seek misfortune for myself.

Enemies of Mercy are Enemies of God

We often believe that once we understand that Jesus has forgiven us, that the end of the road is in the understanding of the facts.

However, our head knowledge often never encourages our heart to learn compassion and the mercy of God.

Daniel Chukwuka mentions a story where a woman’s mother-in-law moves in with her and the family.

This woman overhears her mother-in-law instruct her husband to treat her differently otherwise the wife would become spoilt.

This woman had a choice to make.

She could learn to forgive her mother-in-law and move on so that the family could live together or, she could instruct the mother-in-law to seek housing elsewhere.

Chukwuka follows up to say the path of unforgiving would lead to larger problems.

An unforgiving heart leads to isolation

The Bible declares many results of being merciful and being unmerciful.

We are often reminded of the story of Jonah as one where the miracle of the fish swallowed Jonah and carried him to where God wanted him to be, the city of Nineveh.

This city was full of people who were enemies to God’s people.

They had often carried out war against the Israelites.

However, God’s mercy extends to both the righteous and the unrighteous in order to declare His character and glory.

Jonah’s first two chapters show a complete refusal by Jonah to accept his calling to preach the word to his enemies, the Ninevites.

What proclamations has God given us?

His mercy is expressed throughout all scripture.

Jesus proclaims much about the kingdom of God and how to express God’s kingdom to the world.

Jonah finally obeyed God after his deliverance from death.

Even in Your hardened state, God’s Will is Done

Some of you may believe that if you do not share God’s mercy with others then they will end up receiving what they are due.

How angry in your hearts must you be to ensure that others are injured and find calamity instead of seeking reconciliation with them?

You may often in your hearts pray that people are reaping what they sow.

However, in sowing vengeance and sowing heartache for others, what blessing are you receiving in your own life?

Jesus declares Matt 5:7

If Jonah had the compassion and mercy to share the word of God to the people of Nineveh, there would have been no storm needed to shake the boat and have Jonah swallowed by the great fish.

God delivered the mercy to Nineveh by the way of the hardened Jonah.

God delivered the Israelites to the promised land by the way of the hardened Pharoah.

God has delivered each one of us by the hardened hearts of those who put Christ on the cross.

Through each of the unmerciful actions, God still makes a way for those He wants to show mercy the ability to receive their mercy.

God’s Mercy is greater than our actions

We may act as Jonah and attempt to be angry with the will of God.

Only God knows His will.

We are often consumed with the small things which affect our life.

Like the plant that provided the comfort for Jonah after he was bitter for the mercy the Ninevites received, your hearts may become consumed with the small comforts you have in your life instead of allowing God’s will to be carried out through you.

Daniel Chukwuka reminds us of the proverb,

If your heart remains hardened towards others in any capacity and you are aware of any anger, malice, ill thoughts towards another, God does not want to even hear your prayers until you have understood mercy towards others; understood reconciliation towards others.

Your prayers are an abomination because you are asking of God what He can deliver to you without you surrendering to what He asks of you.

It places you as the being over God who is capable of making demands through your words but not willing to obey the supreme creator.

Matt.18:25-35 reminds us of the debt we all owe and the mercy God extends to us.

We must extend mercy to others.

Remaining Bitter like Jonah

We have choices to make everyday.

Each day we can reconcile with God by choosing to see the mercy He extended from the cross.

Each one of us stood in the crowd with the Israelites the day Jesus was convicted and placed upon the cross.

We are all guilty of being merciless.

Our sins prove that we choose ourselves more often than being merciful towards others.

By the grace of God, He extends His mercy to even those who cause Him so much heartache, grief, and even death for His son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is our brother also.

We are not to show anger towards our brother.

Even anger in our hearts is murder.

Our sins and anger for being told the truth of who Jesus is often hurts our fragile minds, existence of self, and we decide it is safer and more comfortable to be isolated.

This is what happened to Jonah.

He remained bitter and angry towards God for saving so many people.

God’s will is always accomplished.

You may decide now to be a part of it or stand against it but your blessings are only found in participating in the mercy of God.

How much more blessed would we be if indeed we participated in the compassion God has instead of standing against it?

Mercy starts with God & flows to your neighbors

Thankfully, the church shares the truth.

There may be those out there who share a slippery gospel where all is peachy and the desires of the world are achieved through prayer.

Be reminded that God desires mercy in your heart in all situations and extend that mercy everywhere.

The church is the place to begin that reconciliation.

It is often here where hurt is witnessed and mercy must be extended.

Many churches split over unmerciful decisions.

People are incapable of forgiveness and are willing to separate themselves from the congregation instead of seeking reconciliation.

Go this week and if you are reminded of anyone in your life you have a grudge with, know that God desires you to be merciful just as He is merciful with you.

Write down those names with which you have anger or mal intentions with in your heart.

Ask God to help you forgive them in your heart.

Afterwards, seek reconciliation with that person.

Extend to them that you have forgiven them for whatever it is they may have done to you.

Know also that they do not have to ask for that forgiveness as God extends His forgiveness to us while we are still sinners.

In the same way we must extend mercy and forgiveness to others so they will see the love of God.

If you consider yourself a child of God, know that He demands mercy because He is merciful.